Railway track with electric toy trains, tramcars or similar vehicles



June 19, 1956 l. HJORTBORG 2,750,898

RAILWAY TRACK WITH ELECTRIC TOY TRAINS, TRAMCARS OR SIMILAR VEHICLES Filed April 25, 1952 nl rrrrrrmrrrrrrmrrrr mimilmlllllliilimmw INVENTOR. [nge/Wan @bribe/j ATTOYRNS United States Patent O RAILWAY TRACK WITH ELECTRIC TOY TRAINS, TRAMCARS R SIMILAR VEHICLES Ingeman I-Ijortborg, Hellerup, Copenhagen, Denmark Application April 23, 1952, Serial No. 283,819

3 Claims. (Cl. 104-148) The present invention relates to a railway track with electric toy trains or similar vehicles and having electromagnets arranged along it, the said electromagnets being energized when the train moves over them, whereby the latter is propelled.

An essential feature of the railway track according to the invention is that it is provided with one, two or more rails which consist of helically wound coils arranged in extension of each other and adapted to be connected to a source of electricity either in such a way that rail coils placed opposite each other are connected each to their separate pole, or in other manner so that the rolling parts of the train moving on the rail coils and which, in the case of one or more wheel pairs, consist of magnetizable electromagnetic or permanently magnetic material during the operation establish electric contact between two rail coils located opposite each other, said coils are rendered conducting on their upward facing surface, or between rail coils and electrically conducting rails, so as to close the electric circuit, whereby magnetic fields are created in the said rail coils to pull or push the train forward. In one embodiment according to the invention the coils are wound on iron cores or other magnetizable material, so that the power propelling the train is increased.

The railway track may furthermore be provided with switches, whose essential feature, in an embodiment according to the invention, is that a switch tongue consisting of a helically Wound coil inserted between the poles of a source of electricity may be energized with the desired polarity so as to be repelled or attracted by the one or the other, respectively, of the rail coils between which its free end may move, whereby the track is switched. The said rail coils, which are likewise inserted between the poles of a source of electricity, may be energized according to requirements through a contact system.

When the electric circuit is closed, the free end of the rail tongue will be repelled, away from the rail coil, whose end nearest the rail tongue has the same polarity and the said free end will be attracted by the other rail coil just opposite which is energized with opposite polarity. Such polarization may be provided at any time by means of a contact system, but, in addition, when the contact system is adjusted in such manner, a magnetization of the rail coils will be created when the train moves over the said point, so that the rail coils keep the tongue in its position simultaneously with contributing by their magnetism to the propulsion of the train.

In another embodiment the switch operates in nearly the same manner. Also in this embodiment two rail coils are inserted between the poles of a source of electricity, and each of these coils can be independently energized in accordance with requirements so that a double rail tongue, which is movable and consists of mild steel, may be switched from side to side because it is attracted by the rail coil that is energized.

In conjunction herewith it is suicient to have the rail in one side consist of a rail coil. This one rail coil may furthermore be placed at the center of the railway track 2,750,898 Patented Junes 19, 1956 Without fixed connection with electric conductors, the electric connection being established through the wheel pairs of the train. A permanent connection between source of electricity and rail coil may furthermore be dispensed with where the electric contact is established during operation through metal strips placed along each rail coil on the inner or outer side so that a wheel adapted for this purpose and travelling on the rail coil contacts the metal strip at the same time, thus establishing electric contact between the strip and the rail coil.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure l shows a rectilinear section of an embodiment of a railway track according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows a section of the railway track with a switch according to the invention,

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a switch,

Figure 4 shows another embodiment for the railway track according to the invention,

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the railway track according to the invention,

Figure 6 is a section of same on the line VI--VI of Figure 5,

Figure 7, a fourth embodiment of the railway track according to the invention, and

Figure 8, a fifth embodiment of the railway track according to the invention.

As will be seen from Figure l, the rails consist of helically wound coils 1, 2, 3 and 4 of lacquered copper wire or other electric material. The upward facing side of these coils is rendered conducting, so that a non-insulated wheel pair of the train may establish electric connection between the rail coils 1 and 2 or 3 and 4. Each of the downward facing ends of the rail coils 1 and 2 in theV drawing is connected to its separate pole of a voltage generator. lf a non-insulated wheel pair is placed over the rail coils 1 and 2, an electric circuit will be established through the rail coils and the wheel pair, so that magnetic fields arise.

The said circuit begins, if the wheel pair moves forward in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, in the irst windings of the conductor connection below, but as the wheel pair moves forward the said circuit is extended to comprise both coils of the appertaining pair in their entire length. The same applies to the rail coils 3 and 4, if the wheel pair runs in the opposite direction. If, reversely, the wheel pair on the rail coils 1 and 2 moves forward opposite the direction indicated by the arrow, and forward in the direction of the arrow (Fig. l) on the rail coils 3 and 4, the development of the magnetic fields will be of the reverse order of that described, namely commencing with elds comprising the coils in their entire length, but decreasing in strength with the decrease in the number of windings.

To simplify the wiring the rails may consist of uniformly turned coils, so that the rail coils 1 in continued extension of each other may constitute the one rail, and the rail coils 2 in continued extension of each other may constitute the other rail. In this way it is always the lower ends of the coils shown in the drawing that are connected with conductors and may be connected with the poles of a voltage generator through a switch (not shown). The coils 1, 2, 3 and 4 are wound on iron cores 5 or other magnetizable material.

Figure 2 shows such a track provided with a switch. The said switch has a tongue 6 consisting of a helically wound coil and an iron core 7 and capable of turning about a point 8 when the track is switched. The tongue 6 is inserted between the poles of a source of electricity and through a contact system (not shown) it can be energized with the desired polarity.

A rail coil 9 and a rail coil 10, against which the free arrimage end of the tongue 6 may rest, may likewise, independently of each other, be inserted between the poles of a source of electricity by means of a contact system (not shown) and be energized according to requirements. When the free end of the tongue 6 is in position against the rail coil 9, the adjoining ends of the said two coils may be energized with the same polarity, so that the tongue 6 is repelled and moves towards the rail coil 10 just opposite which is energized with opposite polarity and consequently attracts the tongue 6.

Furthermore, the contact system (not shown) may be adjusted in such manner that magnetization arises in the total number of coils on both the tongue 6 and the rail coils 9 and 10, when the electric circuit is closed during the passage of the train. The said magnetization does not only keep the tongue 6 in its position while the train is passing, but also contributes to the propulsion of it, irrespective of its direction of movement.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a switch, a rail coil 11 and a rail coil 12, the lower ends of which in the drawing are located along the upper ends of a double tongue 13 which may turn about a point 14 and consists of mild steel. Both may be independently connected to a source of electricity through a contact system (not shown), so that each individual rail coil 11 or 12, the one of them located at the side to which it is desired to draw the double tongue 13, may be energized and attract the said double tongue.

When the train passes the rail coils 11 and 12, the contact system may furthermore be adjusted in such manner that the rail coil against which the double tongue 13 is in position is energized, so that it both retains the double tongue 13 and by its magnetism contributes to the propulsion of the train, whereas the other rail coil remains non-magnetic.

In order to give the train propulsion when it passes the switch with the double tongue 13, the whole tongue is connected with the central conductor in such manner that the rail coils 15, which in the rail switch constitute the rails at the one side of the railway track, are capable of propelling the train alone.

Also over longer sections it is possible to make the rail coils 15 placed in the one side of the sole means of propulsion, using the rail at the other side as an electric conductor for this purpose. From Figure 4 it will be evident that rail coils 16 may furthermore be placed in a central position of the railway track with an electrically conducting rail 17, 18 on each side. The current will in that case ow from the conducting rail 17 of the one side through the front wheel pair of the train to the rail coil 16 in the center of the railway track, the rail coil 16 being in that case not in xed connection with other electric conductors, and the current will ow further through the coil 16 to the rear wheel pair of the train and through this to the conducting rail 18 of the other side.

This will involve a certain unevenness in the position of the wheels, because the train will be moving on three rails 16, 17 and 18 instead of the usual two rails. The front and the rear wheel pairs will be travelling on one common rail only, that is, the rail coil 16 located in the center of the railway track. This unevenness in the position of the wheels, however, will be preferable to the use of a sliding contact device and may be partially relieved by adjusting the position of axis and wheels.

In principle, there is nothing preventing that the rail coils may consist of two or several layers of windings. However, even though this means an economy in current consumption simultaneously with ensuring an irnproved magnetic effect, coils with only one layer of windings will be simpler and cheaper to manufacture.

lt is, however, not necessary for the two rails of the railway track to consist of continuous helically wound coils. Along appropriate sections the rail coils may be substituted by ordinary rails along which the train moves on owing to the force of inertia.

To further increase the magnetic effect magnetizable, electromagnetic or permanently magnetic material, of which one or more of the wheel pairs of the train consist,'may be mounted on the underside of the train close to the rail coils, either transversely or longitudinally of the rail coils.

Meanwhile, the embodiments disclosed in this application constitute but a few specimens of many others on the identical principle.

For example, the length of the rail coils may be adapted to current consumption and speed, because long rail coils give little speed and less current consumption, whereas short rail coils give increased speed and increased current consumption.

Furthermore, the rail coils located opposite each other may both have windings extending clockwise or both have windings extending anti-clockwise, or the one may have clockwise and the other anti-clockwise windings, dependent on the polarity desired for the rail coils.

The connection of the rail coils with the source of electricity may be established for either rail coils in the same opposite ends, or, if they are wound, one clockwise, the other anti-clockwise, in the opposite end. This will ensure that there will be no direct short circuits when the wheel pairs of the train move over the connecting points, since the one rail coil is energized in its entire length while the other one is only energized in one or very few windings.

Figure 5 shows that a permanent connection between the source of electricity and the rail coils may be wholly dispensed with if the electric contact between rail coils 19, 20 and the source of electricity is established during operation thereby that, in a third embodiment according to the invention along each rail coil 19, 20 is laid a metal strip, 21 and 22 respectively, which is insulated from the coils 19, 20 by insulating layers 23 and 24, respectively, either on the inner sides of the rail coils or on their outer sides as indicated by a section in Figure 6.

The electric contact s elfected by means of appropriate wheels, so that the current passes for example from a point of the strip 21 to the coil 19 and then at a suitable distance therefrom in the direction of the track from the coil 19 to the coil 20, nally leaving the coil 20 and flowing to the strip 22 at a point substantially opposite the said point of the strip 21. The advantage obtained hereby is that the rail coil section energized is always of a constant length during operation of the train, that is, equal to the said distance which is constituted by the distance between two wheel pairs of the train.

In this embodiment the direct short circuit is also avoided, and the many xed joints between the individual rail coils and the source of electricity are eliminated in the manufacture.

In the hitherto disclosed embodiments according to the invention the rail coils are rendered conducting on their surface. This involves, however, a reduction of the relatively thin windings, and this reduction is further increased by wear due to operation.

This drawback is relieved in a fourth embodiment according to the invention thereby that the free end of the winding is continued by an extension along and over the rail coil, the said extension consisting of electrically conducting material. The current will hereby pass through this extension, which will furthermore cause the rail coils to be energized during the passage of the train in their entire length at a time and not gradually or decreasing from one end of the coil or the other dependent upon the direction in which the train is traveling, which to some extent improves the magnetic repulsive and attractive power. Mounted along and over the rail coil the extension constitutes the actual rail on which the train is travelling.

In this embodiment the rails of the railway track consist, as shown in Figure 7, of helically wound coils 25 and 26, which are not rendered conducting on their upper surface, but the free end of each fof them is provided with an extension, 27 and 28, respectively, along and over the rail coil. This extension 27, 28, consists of electrically conducting material and is designed to protect the windings and to form the contactor members which in the embodiments hitherto described were constituted by the rendered conducting windings. As an additional result of the extension 27, 28 the rail coils 25 and 26 with their coil cores 4 will be energized throughout their entire length when they are mutually connected with a transversely disposed wheel pair during the passage of the train. This complete magnetization of the rail coils through their entire length increases to some extent the magnetic repulsive and attractive power.

In a ifth embodiment this extension may be displaced to the one side and be released from the coil to which it corresponds. As a consequence of this the two coils may be substituted by a single coil 29 which in this embodiment according to the invention is disposed at a central position of the railway track, the other coil being dispensed with. The two rails are, as indicated in Figure 8, constituted by coil extensions 30 in the one side and an independent, continuous rail 31 in the other side. As far as the one pole is concerned the electric connection takes place through the said continuous rail 31 and as regards the other pole through the iron core 32 of the coils.

The coil 29 corresponds to the coil 25 in Figure 7, but it is disposed in a central position of the railway track, so that the train, retained by the magnetism of the coil, is less liable to be derailed. The coil core 32 forms the electric conductor for the one pole of a voltage generator which through the coil 29 is connected to the extension 30 mounted in a position off the coil 29 and released from it, thus independently constituting the one rail of the railway track in adapted lengths, corresponding to the length of the coil 29 to which it corresponds. The other rail 31, which is diagrammatically indicated in the drawing, forms the electric conductor for the other pole of the voltage generator. The electric contact between the coil extension 30 and the rail 31 is established during operation by the wheel pairs of the train.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An electric toy comprising a track having at least two parallel rails, at least one of said rails consisting of electromagnetic coils which consist of windings of conducting insulated wire, each of said windings having an exposed upper portion which is devoid of insulation, means connecting said rails to a source of electrical energy, and at least one rotary element mounted on said rails and consisting of a conducting and magnetizable material, said element engaging the exposed portion of said coil and closing an electro-magnetic circuit causing a rolling of said element on said track.

2. An electric toy comprising a track having two parallel rails, each rail comprising a core and a plurality of coaxial helical coils carried by said core, and extending end to end, said coils consisting of win-dings of conducting insulated Wire, each of said windings having an exposed upper portion which is devoid of insulation, alternate adjacent ends of the coils of each rail being open and devoid of connections, means connecting the other adjacent ends of the coils of each rail to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy, and at least one rotary element mounted on said rails and consisting of a conducting and magnetizable material, said element engaging the exposed portion of said coils and closing an electro-magnetic circuit causing a rolling of said element on said track.

3. An electric toy comprising a track having two rails, each of which consisting of a plurality of coaxial helical coils extending end to end and enclosing a common continuous iron core, said coils consisting of windings of conducting insulated wire, each of said windings having an exposed upper portion which is devoid of insulation, each coil having one end connected to the iron core, the other end being open and devoid of connections, means connecting the iron cores with a source of electricity, and at least one rotary element mounted on said rails and consisting of a conducting and magnetizable material, said element engaging the exposed portion of said coils and closing an electro-magnetic circuit causing a rolling of said element on said track.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 448,328 Entz Mar. 17, 1891 1,885,662 Whitehom Nov. 1, 1932 2,041,607 Hopkins May 19, 1936 2,060,069 Hofner Nov. 10, 1936 2,295,358 Schaan Sept. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 82,349 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1919 

